An Observation

I might be the only person to think this but over the past few years I have seen a decline in the size of the athlete around the LPD, with the exception of the kids from GC. I was wondering what might be contributing to this, but then again it could just be me. I was wondering what kinda of workouts, nutrition, and supplementational education was provided by the area high schools. Maybe this is a crazy observation, but the LPD seems to be getting beat on higher levels of play by a bigger, stronger, and faster athlete.

It's that nuclear power plant they've built up at Wise....all that radiation has started making people have waifs for babies.

I dont think its the acual workouts, it might somewhat be a lack of hard work or education of the players on what to eat, how to supplement, basic nutrition. Though only somewhat, because no one in high school is gonna be an expert on those sorts of things. I know a ton that never were in high school and they were just fine size and strength wise.

A lot of it starts at home though, from a very early age. Lots of kids arent getting proper nutrition, and arent getting enough vitamins and protein. All kids need their meat and pototoes. Milk, and a daily "Flinstone" vitamin or just any kids vitamin should be the the first "supplements" these kids have.


Then again all we use to have around here was sports and tv. Then it became sports, atari, nintendo and tv. It seems like now, video games and the internet are way more popular than actually playing sports. I remember when Coach Turner use to say, "You can either work hard, or quit and go home watch The Flinstones"......... Classic!! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

The teams upstate have 9 out of 10 years have had a speed advantage on our SWVA teams. As far as I can tell that has not changed over the last 30 years LOL(however I think that on avg teams are faster now than 10 to 15 years ago) what has changed is the State championship game is now played on Turf which seems to help faster teams. I don't think that the overall size of the players today is less than in years past but with enrolment in our school dropping like a rock most teams are now forced to start kids younger than in years past( Justin Hamilton was only the 3rd Freshman to be a starter for Clintwood since 1980) this year Clintwood started 3 Freshmen younger lees mature players will be smaller on avg.

I had the opportunity to watch Giles play at Haysi and They were the better team but not bigger,stronger,faster than our SWVA teams (Just better this year) Probably the biggest difference between Giles and Haysi was that after Cook(who was an outstanding player) for Giles the rest of there team was solid with no week links where as Haysi had Jones (Also a heck of a player but not on the Cook level) and a solid supporting cast BUT there were 2 or 3 on Offence that were without a doubt week links and the same on D.

On looker, I dont know if its the decline in population or what, but you are definietly right, and you will notice even more come basketball season. The lack of height among youngsters in this area is astounding. Not 7 years ago, Pound had 2 players 6'7 or taller, guards that were 6'3, Powell Valley had 4 6'5 guys and a 6'3 guy playing small forward, Twin Springs had a 7'1 guy, Burton had a 6'5 guy, Garden had a 6'7 guy. The Region was loaded with tall guys, even guards that were big. Now youll be lucky to find a player at half the schools over 6'1.

I really have no idea what affects growth, im not a doctor, but it seems the gene pool in this area is having a serious shrinkage. Its not just boys either, girls are starting to get midgety too.

It's called genetics.

I've noticed this as well... and I myself am not a big guy at all. I'm only around 5'10 or 5'11, so I'm not exactly the tallest/biggest guy around.

I'm not sure that players are getting all that smaller, but they are becoming less interested in winning. I find it hard to believe that an athlete could be laughing in the locker room 10 minutes after losing a game. Many coaches take the game more serious than their players. Kids just don't care anymore... What are they really playing for?

Now size is one thing, but not taking the game seriously is just flat out pathetic.

Who was laughing in the locker room 10 minutes after losing the game? Whoever was needs to run about a mile and probably hit a few times just to further imply the message.

Bunch of ungrateful punks.. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

You tell em.......from a message board.